Smoothing iron



Patented May 13, lgti.

bauten sra'rs EWALD W. KREDER, OF EAST POINT, GEORGIA.

SMOOTI-I'ING IRON.

Application filed February 14, 1923. Serial No. 618,958.

This invent-ion relates to smoothing irons of that type which are heated by hot radiators, bolts or slugs introduced into the holloiv body of the iron.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an iron of the type specified Wherein access to the hollow body of the iron is had through the rear open end, which is normally closed by a gravitating slide or closing member, and to dispense with catches, spring devices of a fragile nature and hinges, to thereby minimize the cost of manufacture 'of this type of iron and render the same exceptionally convenient in charging and discharging it With the heating element or radiator or slug. A. further object of the invention is to generally' improve the type of smoothing or sad iron adapted to receive a heating means and to permit easy manipulation thereof during the insertion therein and withdrawal therefrom of the removable heating device and at the same time to increase the strength and durability of the iron by avoiding the inclusion in the structure thereof of all parts that are liable to become disarranged or broken.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more clearly hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing: y

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a smoothing iron embodying the features of the in volition;

F 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the improved iron;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; and

Fig. t is a detail perspective view of the rear closure or slidev looking towards the inner side of the latter.

rl`he body 5 of the improved iron is of a contour usually adopted in smoothing irons and comprises a main member 6 with a flat bottom 7 having a chamber or pocket 8 formed therein and closed at the upper end by a top plate 9 secured to the main body member (i by suitable fastenings 10. The rear end 11 of the iron body is transversely straight and has an opening 12 formed therein, the low r Wall of the opening be ing in the same plane With the. top surface of the bottom 7, which forms the lower Wall of the chamber or pocket 8. Secured to the cover 9 by removable fastening devices 13 is a handle support comprising a horizontal member 1li with front and rear upwardly extending extremities 15 and 1G having their upper ends secured againstthe opposite ends of a Wooden or other heat non-conducting handle or grip 17. rfhe forward extremity 15 is curved, to give ample clearance belen7 the handle or grip 17 for the insertion of the hand and grasping of the said handle by the user Without liability of contact with the said extremity 15. The rear extremity 15 is fiat for the greater portion 'of its length and has a slight rearward inclination for a purpose which Will be presently explained.

The rear extremity of the main body mem ber G, as shown `by Fig. 3, has opposite grooves 1S formed therein at a distance in- Wardly from the rear surface of the transversely straight end 11, the said grooif'es being transversely alined and extending fully through the top edge of the said rear extremity. ln advance of the grooves 18 and forming the front walls of the latter is a pair of oppositely disposed curved guards or bosses 19 formed on the opposite sides of themain body member 6, and the cover 9 is cut away, as at 20, above the upper edge of the rear extremity in which the grooves 18 are 'formed to provide clearances for unrestricted vertical movement of a gravitating end closure orslide 21 having at opposite side edges forwardly and outwardly directed flanges 22 to engage the grooves 18. rihe closure or slide 21 is of such dimensions as to snugly lit in the opening 12 and have tight engagement at the opposite side and bottom edges thereof with the corresponding "walls of the body member 6 to produce a jointure that will materially obstruct the ingress of air into the interior of said bod The closure or slide 21 has at its upper edge laterally extending flat arms 23, which snugly fit over the upper ends of the grooves 1 and said arms 23 also serve to reinforce th flanges and provide upper stop mean to engage the upper opposite portions of the rear extremity of the main body member of the iron when the closure or slide has fully gravitated or been moved downwardly to its normal closed position. Projecting uivardly from the center of the upper end of the closure or slide 21 is a socket member eA having an opening therethrough forming a coll-ar 25 of larger dimensions than the rear exe llt) tremitv 16 of the handle support over which extremity the said collar is mevably applied before the extremity 1G is secured to the end of the handle ll clearly shown by Figs. land si, rlhe lower portion of the front side wall of tl e socket membe;` 2e is formed with a. recess or is cut away, as at 25, to receive the rear end of the flat member lll of the handle support and permit PLS a snug i'it tine` of the closure or slide 2l when the lattern'is lowered to its normal position. Projecting outwardly from the closure or slide 2l at a suitable distance below the collar 24 is a grip 27 which is adapted to be used in manually lifting the closure or slide to open the rear end of the iron. A flat metal` spring 2S having the same widtlras the extremity 16, lies against the front side of said extremity, this spring being secured at its upper` end against the rear end of the handle 17 and loosely depending from the latter and terminating' in the collar 25, as shown by Fig. 2. This spring 28 serves as a frictional holding means for the closure or slide 2l when the latter is elevated, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, said spring being provided with a forwardly bent portion 29 to cause it to effectively function as a. frictional engaging means. The lower e3:- treinity of the spring 28 is free or unattached and automatically compensates for variation of pressure imposed thereon by the front side of the collar 25 when the closure or slide 2l is elevated. Moreover, since this retention spring Z8 is free at its lower eX- tremity, it is less liable to become fractured or injured and will more advantageously perform its intended function.

With the improved iron a solid heating radiator, slug or bolt 30 is used and is of such dimensions as to be readily inserted in and withdrawn from the chamber 8, and to facilitate the application and withdrawal of this radiator or slug, the rear end thereof is formed with a slot 3l, of such dimensions as to provide a cross bar 32 adapted to be engaged by a hook or other implement for the purpose of inserting the radiator 30 in the chamber S and removing it from said chamber without liability of burning the user or operator.

The improved iron may be easily operated with one hand, and it will be understood that the radiator or slug 30 is lirst heated by any suitable means and, prior to insertion of the radiator or Slug within the iron body, the iron as a whole is laid on one side and the closure or slide opened and frictionally held by the spring 2S and the heated radiator or slug then inserted. rlhe iron is then turned to upright or normal posi-A tion, to permit the closure to be moved downwardly, thereby practically fully clcsing` the opening l2. The heat from the radiator or slug will then be absorbed by the parts of the improved iron of the same dimensions as in the common form of smoothing iron as to length and width, but obviously the hollow main body member G o'j the iron will have greater depth than the usual form of Solid smoothing iron in order to permit the insertion and removal of the radiator or slug 3G. It is also proposed to modify the dimensions and general proportions of the improved iron and to correspondingly reduce or increase the size of the radiator or slug 30. One or more ol these slugs will be furnished with each iron, there being preferably two radiators or slugs in order that one radiator or slug may be used as a heating means while the other is being heated. An iron of this form is especially advantageous in the economical use of fuel for heating smoothing irons, in view of the fact that the main body member of the iron will remain heated to proper ironing degree longer than the usual or common form of solid smoothing iron.

The inwardly extending projections l) serve to hold the rear extremity of the radiator or slug 30 against lateral play, and since the radiator or slug will be of the same form as the body member G of the iron, only on'a smaller scale, the forward reduced extremity of the said radiator or Slug engaging the inner side of the correspondingly reduced extremity of the main member 6 of the body in combination with the said projections 19 will serve to hold the said radiator or slug in central position within the chamber 8 to the best advantage in performing its heating function.

vWhat is claimed as new is:

l. ./lr smoothing iron comprising a hollow body, open at the rear end and formed to receive heating means therein, the body having a support rising therefrom and secured to a handle, a vertically slidable closure for the said rear open end of the body, the closure having a collar embracing a part of depending over a portion of the support adjacent to and directly engaged by and over which the said collar of the closure has moveofieut for frictionally retaining the closure in open position.

2. fr smoothing iron having hollow body with a rear open end for the reception o'l heating means, a handle support comprising a horizontally flat member secured to the top of the body and provided with front and rear upwardly `projecting' members having a handle secured between their upper ends', a freely slidable closure engaging the rear open end of the body and provided with a forwardly projecting collar at its the support, and resilient means l upper edge above the top of the body, the collar lnwing loose sliding engagement with the reel' upwardly projecting member of the said support, the rear upwardly projecting member of the handle support being substantially vertical to effect a coi'responding` movement oit the said slidable closure, and bowed resilient ineens applied to the 'i'ont side of the rem' upwardly j nojecting 1ne1nbei? of the handle Support and having :i lower loose end, the seid bowed resilient Ineens being flictionully engageable by the said collar for holding the closure in elevated adjustable position against glavitating movement.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

EVALD Vf. KREIDER. 

